Chris Bruss

Digital Head Funny or Die

Chris Bruss

Digital Head Funny or Die

Biography

Chris Bruss is President of Digital at Funny Or Die. Bruss oversees Sales, Ad Operations, and Partner Content – the branded entertainment division he started 7 years ago. The teams reporting to Bruss sell, execute and deliver all of FOD’s advertiser-related content and campaigns (including content created for the recently-formed FOD-DC division), as well as media sales, seeding programs, and social promotion packages. Bruss also co-founded FOD’s commercial production company, Gifted Youth.

Bruss has been with Funny Or Die since 2009, and during that time helped build and manage FOD’s award-winning Branded Entertainment division. In this role, Bruss implemented a more sophisticated plan for translating the process between the world of ad agencies/brands and the comedy/content community. During his tenure, FOD has produced over 400 branded entertainment campaigns for more than 100 different brands across over a dozen brand categories – campaigns including video, non-video and social content, as well as live events and tours.

In November 2011, The Hollywood Reporter named Bruss one of the top 35 Hollywood executives under 35, and in 2012 he served as Jury Chair for the One Show Entertainment awards. In July 2013, Bruss appeared on the cover of AdWeek magazine as part of their portraits issue entitled “LA Heat: 10 agencies and producers killing it in a town where marketing, technology and entertainment co-star.” It recognized Bruss and his Gifted Youth team for their ground-breaking and award-winning work with Old Milwaukee Beer. In 2014, AdAge named Bruss one of the top 40 Advertising executives under 40. That same year, Bruss served on the Branded Entertainment jury for the CLIO Awards. In October 2015, Variety named Bruss to their Hollywood New Leaders list.

Both Funny Or Die & Gifted Youth’s work has been recognized by the Cannes Lions, the CLIOs, the One Show, the Webbys… and even the Emmys.

Outside of advertiser-related content, Bruss has also overseen special projects such as “Funny Or Die Presents: Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal, The Movie” special, starring Johnny Depp in the title role, as well as FOD’s first long-form VR experience, “Miyubi,” a Sundance-selected co-production with Felix & Paul Studios and Facebook’s Oculus.

Prior to his time at Funny Or Die, Bruss worked in the Business Development group at the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). He works out of FOD’s Hollywood office.